1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fishing reels of the casting type and more particularly to an improved reel for use in rod and fly fishing which includes improved means for providing adjustable drag which may be readily positioned in such a manner as to conveniently facilitate any instant infinite changeability as may be desired during excitement of catching a fish.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, a variety of drag assemblies have been employed in fishing reels which are utilized to exert a braking force on the fishing line spool and therefore, the fisherman is assisted in controlling the play of the fish. These drag assemblies frequently require the fisherman to hold the rod and reel assembly in an unusual or unnatural fashion, or sometimes, may require the preparation of a complex system which is heavy and relatively difficult to assemble and service. Furthermore, additional difficulties and problems have been encountered with conventional fly fishing reels which stem largely from the fact that such reels are equipped with drag assemblies that tend to grip the spool tightly and thus exert unusual or heavy forces on the line, thereby risking breaking of the line.
Most conventional drag assemblies do not provide for a positive, constant means capable of applying the necessary drag or friction. Since it is necessary to apply physical pressure to the winding knob, unevenness of the drag would be disasterous and, certainly, limits of strength are also encountered. There is a definite lacking in prior art drag mechanisms associated with fly casting reels which provides a drag or breaking system with a spool having quick changeability of the spools. Sometimes a fisherman may use many types of fly lines and without removing the line from one spool, the usual practise is to quickly change to another spool containing the desired line. A considerable number of conventional adjustable drag fly reels have the breaking arrangement located in the hub of the spool. Most of these prior reels are not designed for quick changing of the spool and require special tools for the change operation. In other instances, the removal of the spool is achieved with the complete breaking system intact which means that each and every extra spool must have its own complete breaking mechanism included which is costly and burdensome.
Therefore, a long standing need has existed to provide a fly fishing reel of the casting type which provides a drag mechanism permitting a wide variety of forces to be applied to the line spool along with breaking force being directly proportional to the finger pressure exerted by the fisherman upon the drag assembly and which permits for ready interchangeability of spools.